# Voting Deadline Feature

## Overview

The voting deadline feature adds a countdown timer to the MOTM (Man of the Match) voting page and prevents votes from being cast after the specified deadline.

## Features

### 1. Admin Configuration
- Admins can set a voting deadline when configuring match details
- The deadline field is optional - leave it empty for no deadline
- Uses a datetime-local input for easy date and time selection
- The deadline is automatically saved with the match settings

### 2. Countdown Timer
- Displays a prominent countdown timer on the voting page
- Shows time remaining in a user-friendly format:
  - Days, hours, minutes, seconds (when days remaining)
  - Hours, minutes, seconds (when hours remaining)
  - Minutes, seconds (when minutes remaining)
  - Seconds only (when less than 1 minute remaining)
- Color-coded alerts:
  - Blue (info) - More than 5 minutes remaining
  - Yellow (warning) - Less than 5 minutes remaining
  - Red (danger) - Less than 1 minute remaining

### 3. Vote Protection
- **Client-side**: Form inputs are disabled when the deadline is reached
- **Server-side**: Backend validation prevents vote submission after deadline
- Shows a clear "Voting has closed" message when deadline passes
- Both frontend and backend validation ensure votes cannot bypass the deadline

## Usage

### For Administrators

1. Navigate to **Admin Dashboard** → **MOTM Settings**
2. Fill in the match details (date, opponent, etc.)
3. Set the **Voting Deadline** using the date/time picker
   - Example: `2025-10-15 18:00` (6 PM on October 15, 2025)
4. Click **Save Settings** or **Activate MotM Vote**

### For Voters

When a deadline is set:
- The voting page will display a countdown timer at the top
- The timer updates every second
- When the deadline is reached:
  - The countdown is replaced with "Voting has closed"
  - All form fields are disabled
  - The submit button shows "Voting Closed"
- Attempting to submit after the deadline shows an error message

## Database Migration

### For Existing Installations

If you're upgrading from a version without the voting deadline feature, run the migration script:

```bash
python add_voting_deadline.py
```

This script will:
- Add the `votingdeadline` column to the `motmadminsettings` table
- Check if the column already exists (safe to run multiple times)
- Support both PostgreSQL and SQLite databases

### For New Installations

New installations will automatically include the `voting_deadline` column when creating the database.

## Technical Details

### Database Schema

**Table**: `motmadminsettings` (or `admin_settings` in ORM)

New column:
- `votingdeadline` (TIMESTAMP/DATETIME, nullable)

### Files Modified

1. **database.py** - Added `voting_deadline` column to `AdminSettings` model
2. **forms.py** - Added `votingDeadline` field to `adminSettingsForm2`
3. **main.py** - Updated routes:
   - `/admin/motm` - Save and load deadline
   - `/motm/<randomUrlSuffix>` - Pass deadline to template
   - `/motm/vote-thanks` - Validate deadline on submission
4. **templates/motm_admin.html** - Added deadline input field
5. **templates/motm_vote.html** - Added countdown timer UI and JavaScript

### Security Considerations

- Client-side validation provides immediate feedback
- Server-side validation in `vote_thanks()` route is the authoritative check
- Users cannot bypass the deadline by manipulating JavaScript
- Timezone-aware datetime handling ensures consistency

## Troubleshooting

### Issue: Countdown timer not appearing
- **Cause**: No deadline set in admin settings
- **Solution**: Set a deadline in the MOTM settings page

### Issue: "Column doesn't exist" error
- **Cause**: Database needs migration
- **Solution**: Run `python add_voting_deadline.py`

### Issue: Votes still accepted after deadline
- **Cause**: Server timezone mismatch
- **Solution**: Ensure server datetime is correctly configured

## Future Enhancements

Potential improvements for future versions:
- Timezone selection for deadline
- Email notifications when voting closes
- Automatic deadline based on match date (e.g., 24 hours after match)
- Grace period for late votes with visual indicator